Food For Work Programme – Indian Economy

In 1977–1978, the Food for Work Programme was launched. In accordance with this initiative, the government helped the less fortunate do chores like building kutcha roads, removing debris, etc. in exchange for food grains. After this scheme, the National Food for Work scheme was renamed in 2001. The food for work project was implemented in order to address the issues of hunger, unemployment, and poverty in our nation. 

 

•    Together with state governments, the Ministry of Rural Development launched the National Food for Work Programme.

 

•    A paid employment scheme called the National Food for Work Initiative is designed to reduce rural poverty.

 

•    The plan is being introduced in 150 of the most destitute regions of the nation with the intention of enhancing the generation of supplemental wage jobs.

 

•    All rural poor individuals who need to work for a living and desire to perform manual, unskilled labor are welcome to participate in the initiative. The United States is provided with food at no cost.

 

•    This project was incorporated into the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) in February 2006.

 

•    In order to increase the generation of supplemental wage employment and food security in these districts by developing need-based economic, social, and community assets, the programme aimed to provide additional resources to 150 of the nation's most underdeveloped districts in addition to those made available under the Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana (SGRY).

 

•    The government provided all of the funding for the project.

 

•    The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, which went into effect in 200 districts across the nation, including 150 NFFWP areas, has since included the initiative.

 

•    According to the Act, every rural household with volunteers for unskilled manual labor is guaranteed 100 days of employment.

 

•    The most significant right-based employment guarantee programme in the nation today is MGNREGA.

 

•    Food grains should be provided at work or shared if everyone resides in the same home. Food grains can be distributed by any of the state's appointed agencies.

 

•    Food grains are given freely to the United States. Transport expenses, handling fees, and food grain taxes, on the other hand, will fall under the purview of the states.

 

•    All-weather rural road connectivity, flood control/protection, dryness management (including irrigation of logged water regions), land growth, and forestation and tree planting are among the variables to take into account.

 

•    The government sets the minimum wage for each day. Equal pay for men and women.

 

•    A monitoring committee comprising five to nine candidates for each position will be established, with at least one candidate from the SC/ST group and one woman.

 

•    The selection of the committee's members will fall under the purview of the Gram Sabha. Before the monitoring committee is created, work won't begin. It is anticipated that the oversight committee will submit its report together with the certificate of completion.

 

•    The Collector is the principal officer in charge of district-level planning, implementation, coordination, monitoring, and oversight.

 

•    A total of Rs 2,020 crores (US$270 million) has been set allocated for the effort in 2004-2005, in addition to 18 million tons of food grains.

 

•    The state government must receive monthly, quarterly, and annual reports that each district must create and submit. Based on agricultural production per worker, agricultural wage rate, and SC/ST population, the planning commission has designated the 150 most underdeveloped areas. In 27 states, these districts have been established.

 

•    District level officers will inspect 10% of panchayats.

 

•    By state-level authorities, 2% of panchayats.

 

Currently, the Food for Work Programme and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Act's component, which guarantees the "right to work" and a minimum of 100 days of employment for the rural poor as a source of security for their livelihood, are one and the same. The Food for Work Programme has undergone a conceptual shift in that it has transitioned from being a food supply-based programme to a wage-based programme to a right-based public employment programme with sufficient accountability and transparency to meet the scheme's objectives. The food for work programme must be read in connection with the amendments to the MGNREGA Act in order to fully understand the rights of the rural poor and their current status.